The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, has called for what it described as “a universal applicability of standard of care” across all the health facilities in Akwa Ibom State.
The President of the association, Prof Bala Audu, made the call in Uyo while fielding questions from journalists during the grand reception organized by NMA in the state in honour of the newly appointed commissioners on medical and Insurance.
He stated that the universality implies that all teaching hospitals owned by the state government must have a standard of health care that is befitting of a tertiary hospital, even the specialists and the general hospitals must have the same standard.
Audu also commended the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, for his health work force retention policy aimed at prioritizing the welfare of medical personnel in the state.
His words, “The health sector is part of governor, Umo Eno’s ARISE agenda, I have seen what he has done in the health care sector. I have seen the health work force retention policy. In the health care sector, no matter what you do in terms of health infrastructure, in terms of equipping health facilities, you must make sure there is unity in all the health work force, particularly the associations.
“What I want the governor to do particularly is to ensure universal applicability of standards of health care across all the facilities of health care delivery systems in the state. That means that all teaching hospitals owned by the state government must have a standard health care that is befitting of a tertiary hospital.
“The personnel must be appropriate, the building must be adequate and the equipment must be correct and functional so that personnel working there will have what it takes to work and serve the people of the state” Audu said.
The NMA President who stated that shortage of medical doctors is not peculiar to Nigeria alone but the entire world, advised employers of medical personnel including governments at all levels to prioritize the welfare of doctors in order to retain them.
In his remarks, the chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association in the state, Dr Aniekan Peter, commended Umo Eno for appointing three commissioners with medical background into the state executive council.
He pledged the association’s support for the commissioners and the governor to ensure that the health care needs of the people are given the desired attention.
“We will stand with you and stand with your principal Umo Eno to ensure that the welfare of medical personnel is taken to its zenith and the health of our people guaranteed”
Peter who labelled the commissioners as ambassadors of association in the state said the health center initiative introduced by the association in March, this year, has touched many lives in the state, adding that its collaboration with ECEWS and teaching hospitals will also touch the lives of many especially the rural dwellers in the state.
